Rwanda National Police

Strengthened Police operations against drug dealers led to the arrest of seven people suspected to be suppliers and retailers of cannabis in different parts of the country on August 1.

Four of the suspects were apprehended in the City of Kigali with varied quantities of cannabis. One of them, 18-year old girl, was arrested in Rwezamenyo, Nyarugenge District after she was found with 335 pellets of cannabis.

It is said that the teenager was introduced into the criminal business of narcotics by her mother, who was convicted over the same crime and currently serving her sentence.

Three other suspects identified as Ibrahim Nduwimana, 43, who sells cannabis, and the duo of Modeste Bizimana, 56, and Liliane Umutoni, 28, who distills illicit substances; was arrested in Gatenga Sector, Kicukiro District.

"Operations are continuous, almost all of them are targeted operations based on credible information Police gets from the public," Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie-Gorette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said.

Meanwhile, two other suspected drug dealers were apprehended in Ngoma District, Rukira Sector in Nyinya Cell with 1kg and 143 pellets of cannabis.

Another suspect was caught red-handed in Matimba, Nyagatare District.

CIP Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern Province, commended the role of the public in identifying and arresting drug traffickers and local retailers in the region.

The separate arrests follows an operation on July 31, which led to the arrest of a couple and two motorcyclists in Kigali with 40, 000 pellets of cannabis. They were tracked from Rubavu to Kigali, and were arrested on arrival at the couple's home in Gacuriro, Kinyinya Sector.